2001 Bessa T Heliar 101st Anniversary Set

[Gavin]

I have the opportunity to buy an unused, new boxed 2001 Bessa T Heliar 101st Anniversary Set (blue with gold lettering). What is a realistic price to be paying for this item and can anybody provide any comments on usability? I already own a Besssa R3 and an Olive R as reference.

 

[pvdhaar]

Cameraquest appears to have a mint grey one for $1500. These sure don't come cheap..

With respect to usability, I've an ordinary black T with 50mm 1:1 external view finder that works really well with my Hexanon 50/2. Biggest plus is the rangefinder magnification of 1.5x Allows for very comfortable and accurate focussing of any lens, no matter how fast/long.

Minor nits: rangefinder coupled downto 0.9m only. More recent Bessas go to 0.7m Separate VF/RF not to everyones taste, but very easy to get used to.

 

[Huck Finn]

The blue sold originally for $1050. It was the nicest looking one of the sets IMO. Cosina seemed to think so too. They sold the others for $950. Most people were interested in the set for the lens. The kit was overpriced when it was new. I doubt that there's much interest in it except from people like us, so i'd try to get the price down from whatever they're asking. You know . . . supply & demand. small supply, but even smaller demand. They had trouble selling off the entire run of them at the prices they were asking - & there were only 2000 of them made for distribution worldwide.

Huck

 

[Gavin]

Thanks for the feedback. Price is sitting just above the $1100 mark. Still a bit pricey in my view (unless you're a completist...)

 

[taffer]

Well, if you're just after a normal Bessa, there are a couple black ones on the pnet classifieds. Prices is very similar to a brand new one from CQ, but alas, Gandy has only silver ones now...

Oscar

 

[taffer]

Well, if you're just after a normal Bessa T, there are a couple black ones on the pnet classifieds. Prices is very similar to a brand new one from CQ, but alas, Gandy has only silver ones now...

Oscar

 

[CameraQuest]

The blue sold originally for $1050. It was the nicest looking one of the sets IMO. Cosina seemed to think so too. They sold the others for $950. Most people were interested in the set for the lens. The kit was overpriced when it was new. I doubt that there's much interest in it except from people like us, so i'd try to get the price down from whatever they're asking. You know . . . supply & demand. small supply, but even smaller demand. They had trouble selling off the entire run of them at the prices they were asking - & there were only 2000 of them made for distribution worldwide.

Huck

Not True. the 101 sets were a sell out. They were not hard to sell. the last blue sets sold at a premium for $1350. The $1500 set on my site mentioned in this thread sold, it will be taken off the updated site tonight. $1100 is a low price for an unused blue set.

Stephen